SWABI: The local government representatives, whose four-year constitutional tenure ended on Sunday, accused the provincial government of discriminating against the chairmen and councillors belonging to the opposition parties, depriving them of funds and powers.

Speaking at farewell gatherings held in their honour here, they expressed deep frustration over not being able to meet the expectations of their voters, which they said had eroded their political capital.

They said that several amendments were made to the local government law, limiting their powers.

Officials in the district administration told Dawn that on the expiry of the term of the local bodies, the administrative powers would be shifted to the deputy commissioners at the district level and the assistant commissioners at the tehsil level from Monday (today).

The former tehsil chairmen met the staff of tehsil municipal administrations, and lauded them for their hard work, cooperation and sincerity.

Attaullah Khan, former mayor of Swabi tehsil, said: “The cooperation of the TMA staff in this journey of serving the people has always been valuable.”

Like Swabi tehsil, farewell gatherings were also held in Chota Lahor, Razaar and Topi tehsils, where former chairmen Adil Khan, Ghulam Haqqani and Rahim Jadoon expressed their deep anguish over the non-provision of funds, alleging that only the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-aligned leaders were financially assisted and those belonging to the rival parties were ignored.

Mr Haqqani belonged to Awami National Party, Adil Khan to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Rahim Jadoon to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl.

Sher Ali Khan, former chairman of Maneri Bala union council, said he, along with other colleagues, strived to play his due role in provision of public services, but lack of funds was a big issue.

Gul Nabi Khan, another former local government representative, said the basic objective of the local bodies was to serve people at the grassroots level.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026